Armed suspect wielding machete and pickaxe subdued by shoppers at South Carolina Costco

Greenville police were dispatched Thursday after calls about an armed robbery in progress at the Costco warehouse on Woodruff Road. The assailant, 24-year-old Jose Alejandro Giraldo, entered the store and shattered the jewelry counter’s display cases with a machete and pickaxe, telling responders he possessed a firearm. Customers and store employees worked together to hold him down inside the building until law enforcement arrived.

During the confrontation a shopper was injured and received medical attention, though the extent of the injuries was not immediately disclosed. Authorities arrested Giraldo and charged him with armed robbery and third-degree assault and battery. A mugshot of the suspect was later posted by the Greenville County Detention Center. Media outlets sought comment from the police department for further details.